Ball-joint mounting



March 13, 1951 D. FRIEND 2,545,406

BALL JOINT MOUNTING Filed May 20, 1948 IN VEN TOR. Ze zwsoN FRIEND,

BY: M2?

A TTOPZVZY the description proceeds. ment of the above and related objects, my invenvtion may be embodied `in the form illustrated in Patented Mar. 13, 1951 2,545,406 BALL-JOINT MOUNTING Dawson Friend, Connersville, Ind., assigner to Stant Manufacturing Company, Connersville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application May 20, 1948, Serial No. 28,161

l The present invention relates to a ball-joint mounting, and is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved ball and socket joint of *K such character as to support, upon a stem or equivalent element, a member of any desired characteristics for limited, and friction-resisted,

universal movement relative thereto. The mounting of the present invention .is adapted for use in supporting, for such movement, any kind of object; but it finds particular utility in connection with the mounting of a rear-view mirror for automobiles, and it has been so illustrated and will be so described.

Further objects of the invention will appear as To the accomplishthe accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made .in the specic construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a rear-view mirror of conventional form, parts being broken away t show portions of my novel mounting;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section therethrough, showing my ball units in elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the ball and socket joint proper and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified form of joint assembly.

In Figs. 1 to 3, I have shown a stem Il] having a threaded shank II and provided; near one end, 1 with a head or collar I2. That surface I3 of the ment I5. Thus, when the extremity of the eX- tension I4 is riveted over, as at I'I, against the external surface of the element I5 sleeved thereon, the internal surface of said element I 5 is frictionally pressed against the correspondingly'partspherical surface I3, whereby the element I5 is firmly secured in place on the stem In.

That surface I8 of the head I2 remote from the extension I4 is substantially normal to the axis of the stem I0; and a coiled spring I9 is sleeved 4 Claims. (Cl. 287-21) on the stem I0 to bear, at one end, against said surface I8. A second substantially hemispheric element 20 is sleeved on the stem I0 to engage the opposite end of the spring I9; and said element 20, which is provided with a polar aperture y 2 I, snugly engaging the stem III, is pressed toward.

the element I5 to bring the equatorial regions of said two elements into proximity, as shown, thereby compressing the spring I9.

A plate 22 is provided with an aperture guarded by a concavo-convex ange 23, whose internal radius substantially corresponds to the external radius of the element I5. Said plate 22 is assembled in embracing relation with the equatorial region of the element I5, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3. Now, a second plate 24, likewise formed y, with an' aperture guarded by a concavo-convex flange 25 whose internal radius substantiallycorresponds to the external radius of the element 2D, is sleeved over the stem I0 into embracing relation with the equatorial region of the element 20,*and said plate 24 is brought into facing engagement with the plate 22, thus to hold the elements I5 and 20 against separation, in a polar direction, under the influence of'the spring I9. rllhe plates 22 and 24 are now secured together in any suitable manner as by spot Welding at a plurality of points 25 radially spaced beyond the apertures in said plates.

It will be seenvthat the plates 22 and 24 thus vcooperate to provide an annular, part-spherical surface, spanning the equatorial regions of the vtwo hemispheric elements I5 and 20, and limiting Aseparating relative movement of said two elements in a polar direction. It will also'be seen that, since said elements I5 and 2D are otherwise unrestrained against such polar separating relative movement, the spring I9 produces 'a relativelyeheavy frictional bearing of the velements I5 and 2E) against the embracing surfaces 0I the 'flanges 23 and 25. Thus, the annular unit comprising the plates 22 and 24 may be moved uni- Mversally about the center of the sphere defined by the elements I5 and 20, but such movement is resisted, by the friction existing between said elements and the anges 23. and 25, and the degree of such friction may be predetermined in accordance with the relaxedlength and the unit strength and encloses the back plate 24; and its periphery 29 will be crimped about a mirror assembly comprising a backing sheet or gasket 30 and a mirror proper 3 I.

In Fig. 4, I have illustrated a stem 32 having a threaded shank 33 and a reduced extension 34 at its opposite end, said extension defining an outwardly-facing shoulder 35. At la point spaced from the extension 34, the stem 32 is provided with a radial flange or collar 36 which may be integral with the stem.

A substantially hemispheric element 3l is provided with a polar aperture 38 guarded by an inwardly-projecting, annular axial flange 38 adapted to be sleeved snugly on the stem 32 and to engage that surface 40 of the collar 36 which is remote from the projection 34. A second, mating, substantially hemispheric element 4 I is provided with a polar aperture 42 guarded by an inwardly-extending, annular axial flange 43 which is adapted to be snugly sleeved on the extension 34 and to abut the shoulder 35. A coiled spring 44 is sleeved on the stem 32 with one end in abutment with that surface 45 of the collar 35 adjacent the extension 34, and its other end bearing' against the internal surface `of the element 4 I.

The plate 24 is mounted with its ange 25 in embracing engagement with the equatorial region 'of the element 3l, and thereafter the plate 22 is arranged Withits flange in embracing relation with the equatorial region of the element 4 I, and said plate 22 is forced into facing engagement with the plate 24, thereby compressing the spring 44, said-plate 22 being thereupon secured to the i plate 24 by any suitable means, such as spot welding 26. The organization illustrated in Fig. 4 Will,of course,y operate precisely in the manner described in connection with the organization illustrated in Figs. 1 lto 3; but the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 is somewhat more readily assembled than is that form illustrated in Fig. 4.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a stem having a radi-V ally reduced portion at one end defining a shoulstem portion and adapted to abut said shoulder,

amating substantially hemispheric element provided, substantially in its polar region, with an axially inwardly projecting flange having a bearing support on said stem in a region more remote than said collar from said reduced stem end and adapted to abut said collar, a coiled spring sleeved on said stem between said collar and said reduced stem end and bearing against said collar and said first-namedelement, and confining means providing substantially annular, part-spherical'sury faces engaging said elements adjacent their equatorial regions and confining said elements against 4 excessive separation in a polar direction under the influence of said spring, said member being supported from said confining means.

2. In combination, a stem, a substantially hemispheric element centered on said stem, a mating substantially hemispheric element centered on said stem with its equatorial region adjacent the equatorial region of said first-named element and in substantial polar alignment with said firstnamed element, spring means urging separation of said elements in a polar direction, and means providing an annular, part-spherical surface embracing said elements and spanning the equatorial regions thereof, said last-named means limiting separation of said elements under the iniluence of said spring means, said spring means comprising a coiled spring sleeved on said stem, said stem being provided with a fixed collar abutted by one of said elements, and one end of said spring bearing upon said collar While the other end of said spring bears upon the other of said elements.

3.'In combination, a stem provided, near one end, with 4a head and having a deformable axial extension beyond said head, a substantially hemispheri'celement having a substantially polar opening sleeved on said extension, the extremity of saidv extension being riveted over to secure said element in place on said stem, .a second substantially hemispheric element having a substantially polar opening sleeved on said stem in facing relation to said iirst-named element, a coiled spring sleeved on said stem and bearing on that face of said head remote from said extension'and cooperating with said second hemispheric element to urge the same in a polar direction away from said iirst-named element, and means providing an annular, part-.spherical vsurface engaging said elements and spanning-the equatorial regions thereof, .said means limiting separation of said elements under the influence of said spring.

4. The combination of lclaim 3 in Which that surface of said head remote from said extension is substantially normal to the axis of saidv stem, that surface of said head adjacent said extension is part-spherical upon a radius substantially equal to the internal radius of said first-named element, and said first-named element is frictionally pressed against said head surface when said extension extremity is riveted over.

DAWSON FRIEND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

